There have been a number of changes regarding the location of your documents, homepages and such. As a result we thought it would be a good idea to update everyone on the paths necessary to get to these items.

You can use the OpenVPN documentation as a guide on how to map a network drive:

The offices of Communications and Marketing and Graphics are pleased to announce that the campus map illustration has been updated this summer and is in the process of being rolled out.

For your immediate viewing/use, please see the online Campus Map Interactive Tour on the college Web site. It offers not only a dynamic viewing experience of the campus, but also a tour of each building with photos and descriptions of offerings along the way. Visit www.hvcc.edu/tour/map/main to experience the interactive tour.

Additionally on the web you can find a simple 8.5″ x 14″ printable PDF version of the map that is perfect to link to when you send e-correspondence to students or other persons who might want to print the map from home. This handy PDF can be found at www.hvcc.edu/campusmap/map.pdf.

If you wish to have a small supply of printed maps, please contact the Admissions Office as they maintain a central supply of the Campus Map and Visitor’s Guide brochure at all times. This publication was updated over the summer and is produced in a cost-effective manner for all campus offices to use. There is also some handy reference data about the college in the brochure.

Wayfinding maps around the campus are in the process of being updated now and will be in place in coming weeks. These include the large maps at each campus entrance, pedestal maps at key sidewalk points around campus, and wall-mounted maps with brochure holders inside the Guenther and Bulmer buildings. Additionally, a new large map will be installed at the traffic circle adjacent to the clock tower on Holliday drive.

Student lockers are available during the Fall 2011 semester by making a $10 payment to the Cashier’s Office, located in the Guenther Enrollment Services Center. Students should bring their receipt and student ID to the Student Activities Office, Campus Center, room 210. At that time, the student will be assigned a locker and corresponding combination.

For further information, please contact the Student Activities Office at 629-7348.

Hudson Valley Community College is easily accessed via public transportation as it is served by 187 buses each weekday from the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA). Save gas money with no parking hassles. Discounted monthly passes are available for students, faculty and staff at the Viking’s Cove Bookstore in the Siek Campus Center (first floor).

Troy Service from 6:15 a.m. to 12:15 a.m.: (approximately every 20 minutes): Direct — no connections required — buses start arriving from Troy (#85 & #224) at 6:15 a.m. with the last bus leaving for Troy after midnight (12:15 a.m.). The #85 Troy bus also serves HVCC weekends and legal holidays under a reduced schedule.

Albany Service from 6:39 a.m. to 10:35 p.m.: The first direct bus from Albany (#224) arrives at 6:39 a.m. with the last bus leaving for Albany at 10:35 p.m. Additional buses to Albany leave HVCC at 2:15 p.m. and 3:10 p.m. when classes are in session. HVCC is accessible from Albany on weekends and legal holidays via the #22 bus to Troy connecting to the #85 bus.

Connections are available in Troy and Albany to buses serving the entire Capital Region. Please visit www.cdta.org or call 518-482-8822 for schedule information.

PLEASE NOTE: The McDonough Sports Complex; McDonough Fitness Room, and Racquetball Courts have a mandatory registration procedure that must be completed prior to utilization of these facilities. Registration will take place in the Fitness Room.
Picture ID is required for access to all recreational facilities.

At New Student Orientation, new students were encouraged to ask questions during their first days on campus and told that all members of the campus community were willing to answer questions that they may have.

So, in order to remind students of the willingness of faculty and staff to provide assistance, yellow ‘Ask me’ buttons are available in Guenther 159 for use through the first week of classes.

The paper peel-off buttons affix to your clothing and are easily removable and reusable. Be part of the ‘Ask me’ crowd and help our new students feel welcome on our student-centered campus.

You must enter your username and password to access the document. The reductions listed in the President’s budget message of August 24 have been made to the department accounts. Department Heads or their designee can access updated budget account information online in the Banner system. Please contact the Budget Office at extensions 4516, 4528 or 7989 for questions.

In an effort to ensure our employees are responding to the requirements to submit time sheets in a timely manner, beginning on Aug. 29, 2011 and continuing thereafter, the college will effectuate a pay interruption for any full- or part-time employee who fails to submit timesheets to Human Resources within two weeks after the end of the pay period.

For example, for a pay period ending Aug. 28, these records must be received by HR no later than Sept. 12.

This is a great opportunity to learn a new dance, meet new people and have fun while exercising. The class is designed so everyone can follow the steps, but challenging enough so people feel like they are dancing!

Did you know that you can make your course available anytime before Monday and students will not have access until Monday? The process of making a course available is a two-step process. The instructor must make it available and the college must make it available.

Due to current fiscal restraints, anything you have ordered but not received may not become an expense of your 2011-2012 (new year) budget as in years past. Please act accordingly to secure delivery of undelivered items by Aug. 29!

Anything not received by Aug. 31 will necessitate that the purchase order be canceled.

Purchase Orders:

If you have received items that you ordered, please return the SIGNED Payment Authorization copy of the Purchase Order (PO) to the Accounts Payable Office (ADM 260) no later than Aug. 31, preferably by Friday, August 26; or

You can send an e-mail to authorize payment to accountspayable@hvcc.edu. Please include the PO# and vendor name in your e-mail.

Travel Expenses:

If you complete travel prior to Aug. 29, you must submit your Travel Expense Report to the Accounts Payable Office by Wednesday, Aug. 31 in order to be reimbursed.

Claudine Potvin-Giordano will serve as Coordinator of Health Services. She will be responsible for administrative responsibilities of the Health Services Center. The position combines several of the responsibilities of the former positions of the Director of Health Services and the Clinical Coordinator.

Over the past decade, Hudson Valley has had a very good run with enrollment increasing by 48%. As a result we have been able to accomplish much in updating our physical plant, expanding our academic programs and enhancing services to our students. Yet, at our last All College meeting I indicated that the “storm clouds are gathering” and, as predicted, we will not be seeing significant enrollment growth in the coming years, nor will we see significant increases in funding.

Hudson Valley is not immune to the demographic and economic pressures, and we need to adjust to the changing times. Our sponsor contribution has not increased in 11 years, and State Aid has been cut by 22% (or $5,674,000) in the last three years. Until now, enrollment and tuition increases have allowed us to thrive without significantly impacting the operations of the college.

Earlier this summer, I met with Senior Staff to review our enrollment projections and the impacts upon the College’s 2011-12 to 2014-15 budgets. Although the 2011-12 Budget contains an increase in tuition of $300.00/yr, this increase does not offset the revenue losses experienced by the College. As such, it is anticipated that the College will fully expend its Reserve Fund of $5,000,000 this year. Consequently, the projected reduction in enrollment, coupled with state and local funding challenges, has resulted in the College’s need to reduce budgetary funding levels for 2011-12, and there will be a need to minimize budget growth in future years as well.

The following decisions and actions are necessary and are being taken with careful consideration for maintaining our exceptional learning environment. I would like to thank Senior Staff for their leadership, advice and insights as to how we can best address the fiscal constraints facing Hudson Valley. I would also like to express my deep appreciation to the entire Hudson Valley community for all that you have done and continue to do to ensure that we remain one of the premiere two year colleges in the country, even in these difficult times.

The current budget situation and prospective budget challenges will be addressed in greater detail at our scheduled All College Meeting on September 19, 2011. I encourage all of you to attend.

If you’ve been wondering what the Workforce Development Institute at HVCC is all about, what courses are coming up or what’s new with the department, you can download the monthly e-newsletter by following this link: https://www.hvcc.edu/wdi/newsletter/index.html.
(Bookmark the URL for future reference…)

Board of Trustees Secretary George Raneri has been re-appointed to a two-year term on the Board of Directors of the New York Community College Trustees.

George has spent his entire career in education. He was an elementary school principal for 40 years, with 34 of those years in the Averill Park School District.

Named a Trustee Emeritus in 1999, George has served as Secretary to the Board of Trustees since 2000. He was appointed to the Hudson Valley Community College Board of Trustees by the Rensselaer County Legislature in the Fall of 1981. He was reappointed in 1989 and continued to serve as a Trustee until 1998.

He is the proud father of three Hudson Valley faculty members — George Jr., Rosanne, and Christine.

Thank you to all members of the campus community who helped to make New Student Orientation a rousing success!

By A. J. Popovics

On Saturday, 1,379 students attended New Student Orientation. Along with them came 1,216 family members and guests. A review of their evaluations revealed that they were overwhelmingly satisfied with the day’s events. Exactly 98.6 percent of the students who completed a Student Orientation Questionnaire responded favorably to the question, “Overall, how would you rate your Orientation experience?” Over 98 percent of the parents and guests also responded favorably to the question on the Orientation Questionnaire for Parents and Guests.

When asked about what was most helpful about Orientation, responses from new students included: “Finding out about time management.” “The Student Life session.” “The helpful people.” “The information on student support.” “Talking about how important attendance is.” “Learning about Money Matters.” “The happy moods all the people had and the good vibes they gave off.” “The great listing of activities.” “The welcome! It made me feel better about starting and I’m not as nervous.” “What is expected of me as a HVCC student.” “That there were people everywhere to help.” “Academic support services.” “Being able to have actual students to ask questions to.” “Transfer info.” “Lunch.” “I felt welcome at Hudson Valley.” “Campus tour.” “Getting Ready for Your Future information session.” “Support.” “Seeing my classrooms.” “Organization of events.” “All the people to help guide us—students with the shirts.” “Everyone asking if I needed help.” “Club booths.” “Being in the college environment and feeling good about the change.” “Disability Resource.” “People in yellow shirts.” “Playing the Frisbee game and winning. That’s what I do.”

Parent and guest comments included: “Learning what’s available for my student.” “That there is a lot of support.” “The students who guided everyone.” “The number of people helping out.” “Tour.” “I think it put into perspective what my son needs to do and he liked hearing about the clubs and the new building going up.” “Academic support services and customer service at the bookstore.” “Well organized. Everyone was friendly, excited, great energy.” “Everything. I teach at U Albany and they could learn a lesson from you all!” “Registrar and Director presentation.” “Welcoming atmosphere just as important as info presented.” “Helpful people.” “The tour, General Session was helpful.” “Money Matters, the bookstore and the meal plan.” “Student Life presentation.” “Talking informally to students.” “Feeling welcome.” “The enthusiasm of the staff—contagious.” “Transfer service presentation.” “That everyone is focused on the student succeeding.” “Financial aid.” “Everything! I want to come here.” “Organization of events.” “’Ask Me’ people.” “Careers and Transfer session.” The level of available service is both helpful and impressive.” “Hearing that every 18-year-old knows everything.”

The Orientation was the result of the planning and hard work of many, many individuals throughout our campus community. Thank you for putting our “best foot forward” — as always! As one parent responded on the questionnaire, “So far, HVCC has done an amazing job getting our son ready to attend. This is “private college attention” at a great price.” Well said!

During the recent upgrade some “leader” roles were changed back to “participant”. Please check your status in your organization and e-mail Sue Gallagher at s.gallagher@hvcc.edu if you need to be re-set to “leader.”

If you do not see your Organization in Blackboard 9.1, please e-mail Sue Gallagher at s.gallagher@hvcc.edu to have it moved from Blackboard 8 into Blackboard 9.1. This can be done any time, so you also can wait until after the semester starts to make this request.

E-mail DLHelp@hvcc.edu or call 629-7070 if you need general assistance with your organization.